El artículo presenta un análisis de cuatro temas centrales de Sen: su visión sobre el ser humano, la libertad individual, la evaluación moral y los derechos, y la igualdad. Con esto quiero mostrar que estas ideas no sólo son consistentes, sino que explican muchas de las reflexiones sobre temas sociales y económicos que lo han convertido en un referente en estas áreas. En las conclusiones presentaré una síntesis e interpretación de estas ideas fundamentales, mostrando cómo constituyen un núcleo filosófico y (...) qué relaciones mantienen entre ellas. Mi objetivo no es encasillarlo en algunas de las corrientes de filosofía actuales, sino destacar la solidez y pertinencia de su aporte filosófico, algo sumamente útil en un tiempo como el nuestro, deseoso de ideas frescas para los acuciantes problemas de siempre. (shrink)

Octavio Paz has been known worldwide as a talented poet and essayist, but not as a sociologist. And yet his seminal work, The Labyrinth of Solitude, published in 1950 and containing Paz’s interpretation of Mexican history and identity, arrived at via his analysis of Mexican ‘myths’ or cultural forms, is rich in sociological content – particularly sociology of culture and sociology of knowledge. The author of this article, after noting that very few of the experts on Paz’s work have tried (...) to analyze in a serious and sustained manner its sociological content, has determined not only to decipher Paz’s method but to reveal its strong links to the sociology of form and content produced by the German sociologist and philosopher Georg Simmel. Thus, the main goal of this article is to apply Simmel’s methods to The Labyrinth of Solitude and to thereby (1) shed some light on the sociological aspects of Paz’s seminal work, thus bringing him the credit he deserves as an early Mexican sociologist, and (2) reveal the extent of Simmel’s influence – hitherto ignored or at least very much minimized – upon The Labyrinth. (shrink)

Background Paternalism/overprotection limits communication between healthcare professionals and patients and does not promote shared therapeutic decision-making. In the global north, communication patterns have been regulated to promote autonomy, whereas in the global south, they reflect the physician’s personal choices. The goal of this study was to contribute to knowledge on the communication patterns used in clinical practice in Mexico and to identify the determinants that favour a doctor–patient relationship characterized by low paternalism/autonomy. Methods A self-report study on communication patterns in (...) a sample of 761 mental healthcare professionals in Central and Western Mexico was conducted. Multiple ordinal logistic regression models were used to analyse paternalism and associated factors. Results A high prevalence of paternalism was observed among mental health professionals in Mexico. The main determinants of low paternalism/autonomy were medical specialty and gender, with female physicians being more likely to explicitly share diagnoses and therapeutic strategies with patients and their families. A pattern of highly explicit communication was strongly associated with low paternalism/autonomy. Finally, a modifying effect of age strata on the association between communication pattern or specialty and low paternalism/autonomy was observed. Conclusions Among mental health professionals in Mexico, high paternalism prevailed. Gender, specialty, and a pattern of open communication were closely associated with low paternalism/autonomy. Strengthening health professionals’ competencies and promoting explicit communication could contribute to the transition towards more autonomist communication in clinical practice in Mexico. The ethical implications will need to be resolved in the near future. (shrink)

This paper examines the association between board characteristics and the ethical reputation of financial institutions. Given the pivotal governance role of the board of directors and the value-relevance of ethical corporate behavior, we postulate a positive relationship between ethical reputation and board features that foster more effective monitoring and oversight. Using a sample of large financial institutions from 13 different countries, we run several alternative panel regressions of ethical reputation on board characteristics and firm-specific controls. Our results demonstrate that the (...) ethical reputation of financial institutions is positively associated with board size, gender diversity, and CEO duality, while being negatively related to the busyness of the board members and a composite index reflecting poor monitoring. Nevertheless, inconsistent with our hypothesis, we also document that financial institutions with less frequent board meetings have better ethical reputation. Overall, our empirical findings suggest that stronger board oversight may promote ethical behavior in the financial industry. (shrink)

La filosofía nace y hunde sus raíces en ese tempestuoso navegar en el que se desenvuelve la vida de los hombres, tratando siempre de responder a necesidades históricas concretas y de buscar respuestas a los problemas de su propio tiempo. Esta solidaridad de la palabra filosófica con ese continuo variar que constituye la vida humana es lo que explica el hecho de que las concepciones filosóficas sean inevitablemente múltiples y diversas, y que los textos de los filósofos no puedan leerse, (...) si se quieren evitar deformaciones de todo tipo, aislándolos del contexto en el que surgieron. Los esfuerzos de aquellos que pretenden situar al discurso filosófico al margen y fuera de la historia real, presentando a la historia de la filosofía como una generación de conceptos nacidos de unos seres que parecen estar situados fuera del espacio y del tiempo, están condenados al fracaso, pues olvidan el hecho de la historicidad misma de la filosofía que va unida a una cultura y a una época determinadas. El presente volumen pretende mostrar el nexo constante que existe entre la historia de la filosofía y la vida de los hombres a través del análisis de cómo pensaron y qué significado y valor dieron a sus propios pensamientos algunos de los más ilustres filósofos que vivieron en tiempos históricos muy diversos. El estudio de los mismos, llevado a cabo por distintos especialistas, nos permitirá contemplar la pluralidad de distintos modos de filosofar y de las filosofías resultantes. (shrink)

Resumen En este trabajo intentaré comparar dos momentos en la producción teórica de Nancy Fraser: sus análisis contemporáneos del capitalismo como orden institucional y su marco categorial previo, basado en dualismo de redistribución y reconocimiento. Destacaré tres grandes rupturas en su evolución intelectual: en el diagnóstico del presente, en la comprensión del capitalismo como tal y en la propuesta política.In this paper I will try to compare two periods in Nancy Fraser's theoretical evolution: her analysis of contemporary capitalism as an (...) institutional social order and her previous categorial framework, based on the dualims of redistribution and recognition. I will highlight three major ruptures in her intellectual development: in the diagnosis of present times, in the understanding of capitalism as such and in political proposal. (shrink)

Este artículo analiza una variedad de aspectos que aportan luz sobre la peculiaridad de John L. Austin y su filosofía, así como sobre el rechazo que se generó hacia ella. De entre todas estas facetas, este trabajo destaca las estilísticas y discursivas, especialmente el papel de la retórica, con el fin de mostrar cómo este autor crea una prosa performativa en perfecta consonancia con su contenido intelectual. De este modo, Austin dota a su obra de una excepcional coherencia entre contenido (...) y forma. (shrink)

La mentalización es una capacidad que puede definirse como la habilidad de atribuir estados mentales que intervienen entre el comportamiento observable y la acción futura de otros. Esta capacidad ha sido estudiada durante décadas, pero las investigaciones al respecto no han logrado consolidar si es exclusivamente humana. Una vez dicho esto, surge la pregunta: ¿los chimpancés son capaces de atribuir estados mentales que intervienen entre el comportamiento observable y la acción futura o solo son capaces de leer el comportamiento? La (...) respuesta a esta pregunta no ha logrado ser determinada debido a que la hipótesis de la mentalización y la hipótesis de lectura de comportamiento poseen las mismas variables experimentales para justificarse, lo cual da forma al problema lógico del debate entre ambas hipótesis. Este artículo introduce la discusión entre las hipótesis de la mentalización y la hipótesis de la lectura comportamental para explicar el comportamiento de los chimpancés. Para lograrlo, se analizará primero lo que se ha dicho sobre la mentalización y la lectura de comportamiento en filosofía, luego se delimitarán ambas hipótesis y, finalmente, se explicarán los enfoques experimentales que han investigado la resolución del problema lógico. (shrink)

Business and Society Review, Volume 126, Issue 1, Page 69-99, Spring 2021.

How relevant is Foucault's social thought to the world we inhabit today? This collection comprises several essays considering the contemporary relevance of the work of Michel Foucault. While Foucault is best remembered for his historical inquiries into the origins of disciplinary society in a period extending from the 16th to the 19th centuries, it seems that today, under the conditions of global modernity, the relevance of his ideas are called into question. With the increasing ubiquity of markets, the break up (...) of centralized states and the dissolution of national boundaries, together with new scientific and political discourses on biological life, the world of today seems far removed from the bounded, disciplinary societies Foucault described in his most famous books. Yet in recent years, it has become apparent that Foucault's thoughts on modern society have not been exhausted, and, indeed, that much remains to be explored. Within this volume, novel interpretations and thematic developments of key Foucauldian concepts are presented in the works of 24 authors. Prominent among them are new forms of neoliberal economic conduct framed by distinct governmentalities; new critical concepts of biological life reflected in Foucault's analysis of biopower, and new theoretical treatments of the effects of subjectivation. Moreover, included among these theoretical departures are empirical studies of contemporary formations of religion and spiritual practice, consumerism, race and racism, the discourse of genetics and the life sciences, surveillance and incarceration, and new social movements. Drawn from a conference held at the University of Massachusetts, Boston bearing the same title, A Foucault for the 21st Century: Governnentality, Biopolitics and Discipline in the New Millennium both expands our understanding of Foucault's central theoretical legacy, and applies his ideas to a range of contemporary empirical phenomena. (shrink)

Business and Society Review, Volume 127, Issue S1, Page 171-192, Spring 2022.

À la différence de la plupart de ses analogues de langue anglaise, l’ouvrage de Fisette et Poirier se veut une introduction critique à la philosophie de l’esprit telle qu’elle est actuellement pratiquée au sein de la tradition anglo-américaine. C’est dire que les auteurs ne cherchent pas simplement à effectuer l’inventaire des diverses thématiques constitutives de la philosophie de l’esprit, mais également à mettre en lumière les présupposés fondamentaux de la discipline et à opérer une réflexion critique plus générale sur ses (...) tenants et aboutissants. Conformément à cette optique, Fisette et Poirier n’adoptent pas la pratique — courante chez la vaste majorité des théoriciens de l’esprit — qui consiste à considérer l’esprit comme un simple donné dont il ne resterait qu’à déterminer la nature plus exacte, mais tentent plutôt dans le premier chapitre de leur ouvrage d’offrir une description plus intuitive du champ d’investigation de la philosophie de l’esprit en prenant comme point de départ l’expérience que nous faisons quotidiennement des phénomènes mentaux. (shrink)

En el presente artículo exponemos las reflexiones desarrolladas por Kant y Hume sobre la filosofía (metafísica) de la causalidad, sin insistir en los aspectos problemáticos de aquella comparación. Más bien se señala que ambas filosofías desarrollan extremos diferentes de un único a priori. No tomaremos en cuenta, para empezar, la terminología comúnmente aceptada: la contraposición entre racionalismo y empirismo. Por el contrario, no dando por establecidas caracterizaciones generales, exponemos idea tras idea en su significado inmediato. No obstante, se verá que (...) la perspectiva de Hume se acerca a la perspectiva trascendental; y no intentaremos evaluar la filosofía de Kant desde el punto de vista psicológico de la causalidad, que supuestamente es decisivo en Hume. (shrink)

ABSTRACT The philosophical project that Bakhtin conceived at the beginning of the 20th century aims to find a moral philosophy that modifies the performance of man in daily life and in culture. The date [1924?] on which its writing is presumed would indicate the direction that Bakhtinian thought was taking, proposing an utopian cultural transformation in a time marked by enormous political tensions, and the social construction of a real subject, whose moral responsibility historically situated would turn into a mode (...) of participatory action. Since that historical moment, a century has passed, and today it may be opportune to confront it with our present, in a planet governed by the capitalist economy with its population living a pandemic of great proportions. Far from establishing a comparison with that ethic project, we will offer some notes and images that encourage reflection on a philosophy that we do not believe we can cover in its complexity.1. (shrink)

En este escrito intento exponer la manera en que establezco una relación entre la filosofía de la ciencia social y la teoría social. Lo anterior se da “incidentalmente” a partir de mi propio trabajo en teoría social; el cual se origina en la Teoría de la Estructuración de Anthony Giddens y actualmente involucra al Naturalismo Crítico. Mi interés original en la teoría social, el cual giraba en torno al trato que Giddens le da a la dualidad agente-estructura a través de (...) su Teoría de la Estructuración, me llevó a conocer la teorización social realista de Margaret Archer. De esa forma me comienzo a empapar del Realismo Crítico de Roy Bhaskar, que en su vertiente filosófica fundamenta la teoría social de Archer, y eventual y necesariamente, como parte de mi interés actual por analizar la teoríasocial realista, empiezo a involucrarme en la discusión contemporánea de la filosofía de la ciencia social. Una primera lección que me deja dicho ejercicio, la cual ejemplifico con ciertas puntualizaciones respecto al (que considero) deficiente trato que dicha filosofía recibe en y por parte de mi academia, es la necesidad de hacer explícito (de pensar un poco en) el trasfondo filosófico que subyace toda teorización social. Ya que creo que muchos de los problemas originalmente achacados a esta última pueden ser atajados, de forma satisfactoria, desde su contraparte filosófica. (shrink)

In this book Alexander García Düttman explores and expands the works of Heidegger, Rosenzweig, Adorno, Benjamin, and Derrida. Out of his very fresh and pointed re-reading, he uncovers a peculiar correspondence of obsessions, interests, and priorities between these diverse twentieth century philosophies, And from these discoveries Düttman details a singular philosophical theory of memory and promise. Düttman's methodology is as groundbreaking as his discoveries, Alan Udoff writes: "This is not an exposition in the conventional sense: a scholarly, historical report, with (...) some attempt at criticism, Rather, it is at every turn a thinking through of certain texts, a thinking that, in putting questions to the texts... reveals or releases what is... stored in those texts." Düttman's questions are so philosophically and theologically penetrating that the reader is set out in new direction of thinking. While Düttman's book helps the reader achieve a new understanding of the gift of language in the works of Adorno, Benjamin, Heidegger, and Rosenzweig, his study also is fraught with implications for reading Derrida, Deleuze, Levinas and Lyotard. (shrink)

The nanotechnologies and nanomaterials sector is a huge and growing industry. The amount of legislation already in place and still to be produced in order to regulate it will be very substantial. What process is used to produce such regulation? The answer is that very diverse regulatory approaches are and will be used. The approach taken by the European Commission diverges from the one taken by the European Parliament. Moreover, at national level, Member States add their own contribution to the (...) process. This article attempts to describe the landscape and various regulatory actions that have been undertaken by all these actors in the European Union. It first describes the role played by the European Commission and Parliament. It then looks at specific regulatory initiatives from a more sectoral perspective: Cosmetics, Food information, Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Biocides. The third part of the paper describes some major national initiatives, in particular those concerning the establishment of reporting systems for nanomaterials, mixtures, articles and consumer products containing them, as an example of how to improve the current governance in the EU and to prevent the risks to human health and the environment. The fourth part gives the perspective of the European Trade Union Confederation. Finally it presents some conclusions and policy recommendations, taking into consideration the diversity of regulatory approaches. (shrink)

El objetivo de este trabajo es hacer una revisión de las principales teorías que se han propuesto en ética ambiental en torno a la noción de valor intrínseco. Para esto, dilucidaré qué se entiende por valor intrínseco, para después remarcar la importancia que tiene este concepto dentro de la reflexión sobre el medio ambiente. Por último, perfilaré las principales teorías de corte biocentrista dentro de la ética ambiental que han tratado la noción de valor intrínseco como eje central.

Notions of purity, perfection, or immaculateness have powered our imagination over the ages. Various images of perfection have held sway in their hallowed times, providing secure streams for channelling human energy. Unfortunately, with the unfolding of the human drama on the world stage, all the images of perfection have suffered damage, epoch on epoch. Different responses have emerged to attempt a restoration. Revival of some of the old images is one such response. Production of new images to serve as worthwhile (...) anchors of value and meaning is another common response. For reasons possibly known only to philosophers and historians, the enterprise called modern science has got thickly embroiled in this civilisational process--first, as the culprit behind the decline of some of the established images, then as the producer of new images, and now, perhaps, as a constant reminder of the perpetual lack of purity and immaculateness in all things human. (shrink)

Nuestro objetivo examinar las razones por las que se dice que la modernidad ha entrado en crisis y por qué sus avances, tan glorificados en la Ilustración, representan más bien un retroceso. En este sentido, se abordará en un primer momento la crítica realizada por un pensador que, aún inserto en esta época, vislumbra los elementos que han constituido el fracaso de algunos proyectos occidentales. Tal es el caso de Nietzsche, quien fue uno de los primeros que criticaron a la (...) razón y a la noción de verdad; a la primera en tanto facultad sobrevalorada e irracional, y a la segunda como una ficción, creada por el ser humano en tanto útil para sus empresas prácticas. Asimismo, se menciona de forma breve a Max Weber y su concepto de Jaula de Hierro en cuanto fue una de las primeras reflexiones sobre la modernidad entendida como periodo de debilitamiento de las ideas absolutas sobre el mundo. En segundo lugar, se abordará la teoría crítica de la Escuela de Frankfurt, concentrándose en la caracterización que hacen de la razón como razón instrumental. La crítica que realizan estos teóricos se centra en los supuestos que han coronado a la razón y al conocimiento científico como el centro y la jerarquía más alta de todo saber. Una vez hecho esto, se abordará la crítica más reciente a la modernidad dentro de la tradición occidental, conocida bajo el nombre de Posmodernidad.La última parte del escrito busca determinar qué es aquello que se conoce bajo el nombre de Posmodernidad. Para esto, se establecerán cuáles son los problemas relativos a su definición, se analizarán algunos de los elementos del contexto histórico que influyeron en su surgimiento y, por último, se hablará acerca de su alcance teórico. A pesar de ser un concepto problemático, y no tener un núcleo teórico concreto, este concepto se ha usado para definir la aparente crisis de valores generada a partir de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y la expansión del capitalismo en su forma globalizada. Más aún, la tendencia mayoritaria de la Posmodernidad es rechazar, en su totalidad, los valores desarrollados y defendidos en la modernidad. (shrink)

RESUMO O foco de nossa investigação é a relação estabelecida por Hannah Arendt entre o imperialismo e a filosofia política de Thomas Hobbes. Trata-se de investigar como o tema se configura em "Origens do Totalitarismo" e de que modo ele contribui para sua tentativa de iluminar o tempo presente. Nosso primeiro passo será refazer o argumento segundo o qual o imperialismo surge no conflito entre a estabilidade das instituições nacionais e seu desejo de expansão, o que também se configura como (...) um conflito entre a tradição política e a nova ordem econômica. Em seguida, comparando as leituras de Arendt e C. B. Macpherson, exploraremos a controversa analogia que nossa autora estabelece entre o imperialismo e o pensamento hobbesiano. Como resultado, não se encontra no contratualismo hobbesiano um argumento para a constituição de comunidades políticas, mas um modelo de relações humanas que ameaçaria a própria existência de tais comunidades. Concluiremos aventando a hipótese de que a leitura arendtiana do imperialismo indica um caminho para pensarmos a política a partir da noção de impropriedade. ABSTRACT The main theme of our research is the link proposed by Hannah Arendt between imperialism and Hobbes's political philosophy. It is to be inquired how this relation appears in "Origins of Totalitarianism" and how it contributes to her attempt to shed a light on the dilemmas of present time. First, we will resume the argument according to which imperialism arises out of the conflict between the stability of national institutions and its desire for expansion, which also shows itself as a conflict between the political tradition and a new economical order. Then in comparison with Macpherson's reading of Hobbes we must explore the polemical analogy held by Arendt between imperialism and the Hobbesian thought. As a result, Arendt did not recognize in his theory of social contract an argument for the constitution of political communities but a model for human relationships by which the very existence of these communities would be jeopardized. Finally, it will be suggested that Arendt's analysis of imperialism indicates a way to think politics through the notion of impropriety. (shrink)

A tese de Arendt sobre Agostinho, apresentada em 1929 e revisada pela autora entre os anos cinquenta e sessenta, é geralmente tomada como obra de juventude e preterida por seus leitores e comentadores. Na contramão dessa tendência, este artigo sugere que possamos encontrar nesses escritos o despontar de temas que serão deslocados pela autora em seus posteriores esforços para iluminar a experiência política. Trata-se então de tecer um comentário geral sobre a tese, indicando possíveis aproximações com os textos da maturidade, (...) sobretudo no que diz respeito a três temas: a revelação de um ser singular através da ação; o papel da memória e da narração na constituição de nossa existência; e a confiança como única garantia de nossos acordos e promessas. (shrink)

Hannah Arendt’s work is notably ambiguous in handling the concept of will. On the one hand, willing appears as an anti-political faculty; on the other, it is named as the spring of political action. This paper asks what does this shift mean to her political theory —hoping that it could also help us to think our current political conflicts. The main argument is that will’s consistency with the plurality of public-political life becomes intelligible only if we have in mind its (...) contentious feature as well as its bonding role among the several faculties that compose a multiple self. However, the anti-political notion of the will as a command that imposes itself as a sovereign decision seems hard to avoid. I conclude by suggesting that Arendt’s reappraisal removes its arbitrary and violent character by means of what she calls the transformation of will into love. (shrink)